He had taken a step closer and Sam could smell his breath, which was sour from the previous night’s binge. ‘Then look after them, Finn. Turn around, go home, and sober up. Protect what you have as if your life depended on it.’
To his shock, Finn started to laugh. ‘You expect me to take advice from you? Where’s your family, Sam? Oh, that’s right, you walked out on your wife and now she’s marrying someone else. Come on, what are you really after? I know you set me up for that job, Sam, Anna told me. What I can’t quite work out is why.’
‘I wanted to help, that’s all.’
‘Yeah, help yourself to my family because you messed up your own life.’
Sam had grabbed hold of Finn by his T-shirt before he even knew what he was doing. ‘You’re the one messing things up now, Finn, not me. Why the hell can’t you see what you’re doing?’ he said, spraying spittle across Finn’s face as his anger coloured his world red. His jaw clenched as he tried and failed to reel in his emotions. ‘If you think I’m such a threat, then OK, I’ll keep away. But I swear, Finn, if you ever hurt Laura or Jasmine then I’ll come and find you and I won’t be responsible for my actions.’
As Sam’s fist relaxed, Finn pushed him away. There was a moment when he looked as if he was going to launch himself at Sam but Finn was sober enough to realize that he was always going to come off worse in a fight. ‘Keep away from me and my family or I’ll have you for assault or something,’ he sneered. ‘I’m warning you, Sam, keep away!’
35
Police station: Wednesday 7 October 2015
‘What can I do for you, Mrs Peterson?’ DCI Harper asked, his tone one of curiosity but there was a smug look on his face too. It was as if he had been expecting her.
‘Do you seriously think Sam had something to do with Jasmine’s disappearance?’ she asked.
‘Do you?’
Laura wasn’t afraid to meet the detective’s gaze. She listened to what her heart was telling her and the last remnants of doubt fell away. Sam had only ever tried to help them and if anything bad had happened to Jasmine then Sam was the last person to blame. ‘No, I don’t and I want you to stop wasting time questioning him and concentrate on finding my daughter.’
Harper took a seat opposite. ‘We’re pulling out all the stops to find Jasmine, I can assure you of that.’
‘Then why haven’t you found her yet? Why are you stuck in here talking to someone I would trust with my daughter’s life more than I would her own father!’
Leaning back in his chair, Harper looked infuriatingly unfazed by Laura’s outburst. ‘Is there a reason why you would think your daughter wasn’t safe with your husband?’
‘No, that’s not what I’m saying,’ Laura said, gritting her teeth as she fought back her frustration. ‘Whatever I think of Finn right now, he has nothing to do with Jasmine’s disappearance, at least, not directly …’
‘He was home with you this morning, wasn’t he?’ DCI Harper asked, testing her previous statement.
‘Yes, Finn was in the house when Jasmine left. He hasn’t harmed her, if that’s what you’re suggesting,’ she said. ‘Have you seen the note she left in the tree?’
‘Yes, Mrs Peterson and I’m glad I have the opportunity to speak to you again – alone,’ he said. ‘Why do you think Jasmine would want to run away? Who were these grown-ups that were sad and angry? Was that you and your husband by any chance?’
‘Ours is not a happy marriage,’ Laura said by way of an answer. When Harper waited for her to continue, she knew she had to tell him everything now. She didn’t think it would help locate Jasmine but at least it might stop them looking in the wrong place. ‘In fact we haven’t been happy for so long that I can’t even remember what it felt like.’
As Laura explained to DCI Harper how Finn’s behaviour had gradually become more and more volatile, the expression on the detective’s face remained fixed despite the fact that she was revealing the innermost detail of her marriage and humiliating herself in the process. Determined to get some kind of response from the hardened detective, Laura considered pulling down the polo neck of her dress, but the faint red marks wouldn’t be enough to convey the horror behind how she had received them the day before. Instead, she rolled up her sleeves to reveal yellow bruises that were the fading evidence of her husband’s earlier abuse.
‘And you didn’t report the incident?’ Harper confirmed, checking his notes.
‘No.’
‘And you didn’t seek medical treatment for your broken ribs? You didn’t see a doctor?’
Feeling suddenly small, Laura gave a small shake of the head.
‘Did he ever hit Jasmine?’
‘No!’
‘You’re sure about that?’ When Laura couldn’t bring herself to answer, the detective didn’t force the issue and said instead, ‘I can’t imagine Mr McIntyre being the kind of man who would take kindly to a man hitting a woman.’
‘Yes, because he’s a good man,’ Laura said pointedly. ‘He and Selina didn’t need to involve themselves in our lives and clearly it would have saved them a whole lot of trouble if they hadn’t, but I’m glad they did.’
‘Selina Raymond,’ Harper said with a nod. ‘What do you know of her?’
‘I’ve only met her a few times, but she’s an interesting lady. She looks small and frail but appearances can be deceptive.’
‘Can’t they just,’ Harper said, mostly to himself. ‘And did Jasmine ever meet her?’
Laura was about to say no, but then remembered the one and only time Jasmine had taken Jasper for a walk. ‘Yes, but only briefly in the park.’
‘When I saw you earlier, you said that Jasmine didn’t know where Mr McIntyre lived.’
‘She didn’t – I honestly don’t know how she could have got there.’
‘But you knew where he lived, didn’t you?’
Laura was annoyed at the blush that rose in her cheeks. ‘Yes, I visited him – once, but not with Jasmine.’
‘No, I appreciate that,’ Harper said, making a note in his file that was little more than a tick against something. He tapped his pen on the page then asked, ‘Would you say that Jasmine trusts Mr McIntyre?’
‘Yes,’ Laura said, albeit reluctantly. She was aware that this was not only a testament to the man’s character, but evidence that could be used to incriminate him. ‘But I still don’t think—’
‘And if Jasmine trusted Mr McIntyre, it would be reasonable to assume she would also trust his landlady.’
‘Oh,’ Laura said, her response not even beginning to register the shock. ‘Do you think Selina might somehow be involved?’
‘We’re having some trouble locating her at the moment.’
‘I don’t see how Jasmine could be with Selina, but I wish she was,’ Laura said, her voice catching. ‘At least I’d have some hope that she was safe, but like I said, they met only once and besides, Selina’s in her eighties. Do you really think she would have taken her?’
Harper shrugged. ‘I’ll happily point the finger of suspicion at every harmless old lady I see if it brings Jasmine home.’
Laura shook her head. ‘No, I’m sorry, but I think you’re wrong. Sam and Selina have each faced unimaginable traumas in their lives and neither of them would inflict that kind of misery on someone else, not without …’ she said then stopped.
Harper pounced on the sentence Laura was loath to complete. ‘Not without good reason? But there was good reason, wasn’t there? I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that your husband was physically abusive and perhaps they thought it was only a matter of time before he harmed Jasmine.’
Laura shook her head although she had no argument to make. She could only confess her own culpability. ‘I was living in denial for too long, I know that. At first I thought that with enough support and patience, Finn would learn to control his moods. And even when I realized that wasn’t going to happen, I still imagined I could contain his temper. If he took his anger out on me then at least Jasmine
would be safe, but I was always afraid that tactic wouldn’t last forever. I knew I had to do something. If only I’d held my nerve!’
Harper leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on the table. ‘Tell me what happened, Mrs Peterson. Tell me why you’re here. What is it that you couldn’t say in front of your husband?’
She took a deep breath, then, ‘Selina came to see me not long after I’d hurt myself,’ she said before correcting herself. ‘I mean, not long after Finn had attacked me.’
36
Tuesday 15 September 2015
Although she spent most of her working day processing orders in a tiny office, Laura did enjoy her job. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t the work itself she liked but the freedom it brought with it. Now that Finn wasn’t working at the builders’ merchants, she didn’t have to worry about him until she clocked off and went home. She didn’t have to worry about Jasmine either, because even though her unemployed husband was now free to do the school runs, Natalie had been as reluctant as she was to hand over that particular responsibility.
She was humming to herself as she tapped another requisition into the system, and if it wasn’t for the pain in her side every time she inhaled, Laura could imagine that life was, if not perfect, then at least normal. She had a smile on her face as she looked up as one of the receptionists popped her head through the door.
‘You have a visitor, Laura.’
‘Oh, really?’
Laura had deliberately isolated herself from the rest of the workforce after Finn’s dismissal and although there were a couple of spare chairs in the room, they were rarely used. She discouraged visitors, especially Finn’s old workmates because she didn’t want reports getting back to her husband that she had been fraternizing. It was rare for customers or suppliers to visit her in person and she was about to ask who the visitor was when an old lady peered over her colleague’s shoulder. Laura couldn’t quite place her face at first and when she did, her heart skipped a beat. ‘Aren’t you …’ She couldn’t remember her name.
‘Selina. I’m Sam’s landlady.’
‘Is he with you?’
‘No, just me, I’m afraid,’ Selina said. ‘Can I come in?’
When Laura offered her a seat, the receptionist gave them both a curious look but said no more and left. ‘What can I do for you, Selina?’
‘How about putting a certain someone’s mind at rest?’
‘Tell Sam I’m fine,’ Laura said. Her words were clipped. She could only presume that Selina had been told all about her sorry life, which irritated her. Her secrets weren’t Sam’s for the telling.
‘He said you’d say that – and I think I believe you even less than he would,’ Selina said and then narrowed her eyes when she saw Laura purse her lips. Although Laura was far too polite to say anything, the old lady read her mind. ‘I know, it’s none of my business, but you have to understand, I have a vested interest. I live underneath Sam’s apartment and I can hear him pacing up and down, night after night, worrying about you, and I’d like some peace for both our sakes. Did you know he went to see Finn?’
The shock on Laura’s face told the answer. ‘When?’ she asked.
‘On Saturday. Sam bumped into him accidentally on purpose when Finn was on his way to the pub. He told your lovely husband exactly what he thought of him and warned him about … Well, you can imagine,’ Selina said, skirting around the truth. ‘But then he was worried that he might have made Finn angrier than ever.’
‘Not that I noticed,’ Laura said. ‘Actually, Finn didn’t come home on Saturday night.’ She had presumed he had found somewhere else to lay his head, or another shoulder to cry on. She certainly hadn’t asked him about it when he reappeared on Sunday in a relatively good mood. Whoever she was, Finn’s new dalliance had managed to tame him – for the time being at least.
‘Oh, right then, that’s good to know,’ Selina said.
Laura felt as awkward as Selina. ‘Yes, erm, well, thanks for dropping by.’
Selina might have been about to get up but then she slapped her leg, startling them both. ‘I’m sorry, but do you mind if I speak openly? At my age I don’t have time to dilly-dally.’
Doubting that she could stop her anyway, Laura nodded.
‘Your husband is a bully, Laura, and you might think he’s reached new depths but believe me, once they start hitting you about, it can only get worse. He’ll tell you he’s trying his best and then blame you when he fails, and the lower he falls, the angrier he’ll get and, as I’m sure you already know, you’ll bear the brunt of it. And if not you, then that sweet little girl of yours.’
The bright little office where Laura had created a safe haven felt as if it were under attack. Her body shook as her defences were breached and reality came crashing into the room. She fought off the urge to cry as she admitted her worst fears to someone else for the very first time. ‘I – I think you might be right. But I don’t know what to do.’
Selina fixed her with a stare. ‘Yes, you do, Laura. What you don’t know is if you have the courage to do it.’
Laura went to nod but it was more of a wobble.
‘You’re not alone.’
‘But you don’t know what it’s like,’ Laura said, and only when she sniffed back her tears did she realize she hadn’t been able to staunch them after all.
‘I’m afraid I know exactly what it’s like.’ Selina sat back in her chair and gathered her courage before continuing. ‘I’ve never really spoken to anyone before about what happened during my marriage. My friends know a little, but they weren’t around much back in the day. I had become isolated from pretty much everyone.’
‘Because of your husband?’ Laura asked, having recognized a parallel in her own life.
‘Alf,’ she confirmed with a smile that didn’t reach her haunted eyes. ‘He was a lovely bloke, very entertaining and generous too. He’d insist on buying the next round of drinks when everyone else was talking about going home. And if it was last orders then they could always come back to the house to carry on the party, maybe have a game of poker. “Oh, Selina won’t mind,” he’d tell them. “She’ll even get up to feed us all.”’
When Laura nodded, Selina added, ‘Does it sound familiar?’
‘Yes, but if you don’t mind me saying, I can’t imagine you being ordered about by anyone.’
‘Oh, this was over fifty years ago and I wasn’t the person I am now,’ Selina said and laughed bitterly. ‘Nor was I the young, misguided woman who walked up the aisle expecting to live happily ever after. When I promised to love, honour and obey my husband, Alf made it clear soon afterwards that was exactly what he expected from me. I was … How can I put this? Beaten into submission.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Laura said, and wasn’t sure she wanted Selina to continue, but the old lady was determined to share her history, blow by blow.
‘It was always my fault if his friends didn’t want to know him any more, it was my fault if he lost at cards, and it was even my fault if he had a hangover.’ Selina exhaled fifty years’ worth of pain before adding, ‘And it was absolutely my fault that we couldn’t have children. Yes, I might have suffered a miscarriage because he’d kicked me in the stomach, but surely it was my fault for getting him angry in the first place. Wouldn’t you agree?’
Laura could feel the colour draining from her face. ‘I don’t know what to say.’
Selina wasn’t listening, she was lost in her own thoughts and it took a shake of her head to free herself from them. ‘It’s hard to believe now, but Alf had me convinced. He had been the perfect gentleman before we married, so of course I had to take at least some of the responsibility for the change in him.’
‘Finn isn’t that bad,’ Laura found herself saying. ‘He never sets out to hurt me.’
Selina raised an eyebrow. ‘Alf didn’t only use his fists to persuade me of my failings as a wife. He was manipulative; he played with my emotions and eroded my confidence until there was nothing left. Does that s
ound more familiar, Laura?’
When Laura refused to answer, Selina’s jaw set in grim determination. ‘While I’ve still got breath in my body, I won’t sit back and let another woman and her child’s life be destroyed.’
‘I can’t leave him. He wouldn’t let me,’ Laura said. ‘And even if I could, I have nowhere to go.’
‘Why? Because you’ve become isolated from your family and friends? I hate to say this, but things are about to get a lot lonelier for you.’
‘What do you mean?’ Laura asked, wondering if this wizened old lady had a crystal ball in her handbag. She had certainly summed up Laura’s life perfectly so far.
‘He’s going to leave, Laura. He’s going to leave us both.’
‘Sorry?’
‘Sam,’ Selina said. ‘I’ve begged him to stay but I can see it’s become too much for him – seeing you and not being able to help.’
Laura’s breath caught in her throat. ‘No, he can’t!’ she said. She had told Sam to stay away but she didn’t want to lose him.
‘Then I’m afraid you’re going to have to give him a reason to stay,’ Selina said.
Sam knew his every move was being closely monitored and even a simple task like mowing the lawn was viewed with suspicion by his landlady. She had been loitering close by and he could feel her eyes on him as he unplugged the mower and began cleaning the blades with an oiled rag. He rubbed the metal to a dull shine, which immediately dimmed when a shadow blocked out the watery sunshine.
‘What are you doing that for?’ Selina asked.
‘I’m hoping I won’t need to mow it again.’
‘Oh,’ she said simply.
Sam looked up and frowned. ‘The grass isn’t growing so unless we have a sudden warm spell, it won’t need another cut until next year.’
Jasper had been hiding from the deafening bray of the mower but padded over now that his master had killed the beast. He jumped up and licked Sam’s face in gratitude and when Sam stood up he was confronted with another type of onslaught.
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